Lever Action Rifle Caliber Poll

This is a discussion on Lever Action Rifle Caliber Poll within the Defensive Rifles & Shotgun Discussion forums, part of the Related Topics category; There's just something about a lever action rifle, I don't know what it is, maybe it's because it's "the cowboy" gun or maybe it's becuase ...

Lever Action Rifle Caliber Poll

There's just something about a lever action rifle, I don't know what it is, maybe it's because it's "the cowboy" gun or maybe it's becuase owning a lever action BB gun is a right of passage for many young boys but everytime I go into a gun store, I cannot stop myself from picking one up and playing with it. I know it's an old fashioned design but to this day it still seems absolutely ingenious in design. For me, it's like the 1911 of the rifle world. Simple, no frills, it just works!!

Anyway, aside form the nostalgia, what caliber should I get. My top 2 choices are 30-30 or 44mag. I don't know all that much about these 2 rounds, so which one would be more powerful of the two if fired form the same length barrel??? This would be a fun gun, no hunting, possibly Home Defense as well.

I didn't vote in the poll because they are both equaly great calibers. I've shot both and own a 30-30 marlin.
I guess I personally prefer the 30-30 because you can find that ammo just about anywhere and 44mag is a little harder to find.
Good luck. Whichever caliber you choose you will be pleased.

My Marlin 336SS (stainless steel) in 30-30 is the perfect bush gun/HD perimeter gun. Short, accurate, available ammo, tradition (I've had several down through the years, but I'll never sell this last one).

I'm gonna throw a wrench in here and say .357 magnum/ ou can still get decent distance from it, have a higher mag capacity, can easily find hollowpoints, can shoot .38s out of it too. I have a Marlin 336 in .30-30, and an 1894c in .357. The 1894c gets more use because ammo is cheaper, and frankly it is more fun to shoot. Less felt recoil, especially with .38 loads, and great handling for plinking and such (not to mention it is nice and short so could be used for HD.

Out of .30-30 or .44 though, I'd go with .30-30, unless you already have or plan on getting a .44 revolver, for simplicity of buying ammo issues.

"A heavily armed citizenry is not about overthrowing the government; it is about preventing the government from overthrowing liberty. A people stripped of their right of self defense is defenseless against their own government." -source

I vote 30-30. Either will do the job but I feel that a jury would look at the 30-30 as a hunting gun used in self defense. A 44mag would be easyer for a lawyer to paint as a super powerfull man killing round you were just waiting for an excuse to use. No meat to the argument but nobody said lawyers had to have a point they just need an argument that a jury might buy.

I didn't vote since both of my choices aren't on your list.
I have a .357 Roossi and a .45LC Rossi. Both are pretty good guns out of the box, but I made them even better with a small amount of dremel work.

If you're looking for just a fun gun and possible HD use then I'd go with either of those calibers myself. Obviously the .357 would be the best bet for range plinking with .38 ammo. But there's something to be said about having a .45LC Color Case Hardened with an Octagon barrel.

Of the two, .30-30. I might think differently if I owned .44 mag handguns, but I don't. We have a household Winchester '94, like so many Texas families.

That being said, my choices for lever rifles are .308 Winchester, in Browning BLRs, and .357 Magnum, chambered in the Marlin 1894C. My BLRs are very important to me; the Marlins are nice to have, but far less important.

I voted 44 since I also own a 44 handgun & because it carries more rounds and IMHO is more fun to shoot at the ranges I can easily find around here. It is also much easier for my wife to shoot as a defensive gun...the 30-30 packs a lot more wallop on both ends. If I were going into brown bear country or wanted to hunt with it as well, then 30-30.

You can't go wrong with either, so price might settle it if I were in the market still.